Water-wheel.



Patented Doe. II,. I900.

No. 663,8I2i

H. JONES.

WATER WHEEL.

(Application filed ma 81, 1898.)

(No Model.)

all

Wimesses:

THE Noam: PETERS co, Pnmmumm msummoa. u. c

UNITE Stan's I rricn.

WILLIAM GEORGE H. ELLISON PLACE.

AND WILLIAM J. WALE, OF SAME WATER-I-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,812, dated December11, 1.900.

7 Application filed May 31, 1898. Serial No. 682,112. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY 'J ONES, a citi-' certain new and usefulImprovements in Wator-Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a clear,full, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in water-wheels.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this character inwhich the water will be passed to the vanes in such manner as will exerta maximum amount of power.

A further object is to provide a water-wheel which will be durable inconstruction, which is operatedwith absolute precision, and which can bemanufactured at a moderate cost.

To these ends my invention consists in the improved construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described,and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similarparts in all of the views, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of myimproved water-wheel shown in position for use. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of one of the nozzles. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing thearrangement of the vanes.

A designates a cylindrical penstock having the sides a, top a, andbottom a A suitable opening w communicates with the headrace, theentrance of the water being regulatcd by means of a suitable gate a. Acentral tube a is secured in the top and bottom, within which the shaftof the wheel proper is located. The bottom a is provided with openingsat, arranged near its outer edge, within which are placed nozzles ahaving their peripheries screw-threaded and adapted to be screwed intocollars a mounted in said openingsa Whenlesspressureisdesired,the numberof the openings is reduced by removing one or more nozzles o andinserting plugs into the collars. If desired, a stop may be formed onthe nozzle, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, said stop limiting theinserting movement of the nozzle, so that its upper end will not projectinto the penstock. The

penstock is secured on suitable supports a by means ofsupporting-flanges a The penstock is also provided with suitablemanholes a and suitable air-cocks and pressure-gages, the latter notbeing shown, they not forming any particular part of my invention andmay be of any preferred construction.

B designates a base formed of suitable ma terial and having areinforcing top 1), within which is mounted, if desired, a ball-bearingraceway b,or,if preferred, roller-bearings may be substituted.

0 designates my improved wheel, having its central portion formed ofsuitable material and having on its outer face vanes 0, formed,preferably, as shown in the drawings, although I do not limit myself tothis precise construction. These vanes are adapted to be secured to theouter face of a peripheral band 0 secured to the periphery of the wheel0 and extending to a point below the lower plane of said wheel C and toa supplemental ring or rim 0, and are arranged at an angle to the axisof the wheel, the position being such that water falling through thenozzles descends on the central portion of the vanes. This constructionprevents any possibility of the water passinginto the raceway b and inaddition is such that said raceway or ann ular support is locatedintermediate the upper and lower planes of the vanes, insuring asmooth-running wheel 0, the pressure of the water on the vanes below theplane of the raceway or support holding said wheelsteady. As shown, thevanes are pref erably formed with a beveled upper edge to prevent thewater from splashing, .850. The shaft 0 is preferably mounted on aball-pivot c and extends upward through tube a D designates a draft-tubeadapted to extend below the level of the tail-water and be secured tothe penstock outside of said wheel.

The operation is obvious, inasmuch as when the water is passed downwardthrough the nozzles it drops onto the vanes, causing them to be carriedbackward, and thus rotate the wheel. The power is regulated by the 11mmher of nozzles remaining open. By this construction the entire amount ofwater used exerts its full power to rotate the wheel, there being notendency to cause back pressure of any kind.

Suitable oil-ducts are provided for the oiling of the various bearings.

By the construction shown it will be readily seen that the vane-carryingdisk is supported not only at its center, but at a point near its outerperiphery. This construction compels the wheel or disk to run in a truehorizontal plane, in addition to which any tendency to sag under thepressure of the water falling on the vanes is absolutely prevented.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination with a penstock having an inlet-gate, a top and a bottom,said bottom having an annular series of verticallyextending portsarranged therein, each port being controllable independently; of asupporting-base located below said bottom; a shaft pivotally supportedthereon, said shaft extending vertically through said penstock; a casingfor said shaft; a wheel secured to said shaft near the lower endthereof; a series of inclined vanes located on the outer periphery ofsaid wheel, said vanes extending said base; a wheel secured to saidshaft near the lower end thereof; a peripheral band secured to saidwheel,said band being of a width greater than the width of the wheel andextending below the lower plane thereof; a series of inclined vaneslocated on the outer periphery of said band; a supplemental rim or bandsecured to theouter edges of said vanes, whereby pockets will be formed;and an annular antifrictional support for said wheel, located contiguousto said peripheral band and intermediate the upper and lower planesthereof, substantially as described.

3. A water-wheel comprisinga support; a vertically-extending shaftpivotally mounted at the center of the top ofsaid support; a wheelsecured to said shaft contiguous to the upper face of said support, saidwheel having a series of peripheral vanes extending below the lowerplane thereof; an annular raceway formed between said wheel and saidsupport, said raceway having balls to form an antifrictional device,said raceway being formed contiguous to the periphery of said wheel,said raceway being located on a plane intermediate the top and bottomplanes of said vanes, whereby said wheel will have both a central and anannular support, substantially as described;

4:. In a turbine Water-wheel, the combination of the rotating wheelhaving peripheral vanes; of a central support therefor; and anadditional support located ann ularly near said vanes and intermediatethe top and bottom planes thereof, whereby any tendency of sagging underwater-pressure is prevented.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY JONES.

Witnesses:

. WILLIAM GEORGE HOLLEYWELL ELLISON,

WILLIAM JOHN WALE.

